The Irish standard., 1887-12-03

!
/, Cure, who never bows to the cross, who
1 whistles as the procession passes; who
/ drinks like fish and mOcks at every
thing; surely, NJ. le Cure, you won't go
to him?2 Thereupon the northy bonne
busted herself in warming the thick
Woolen oversocks and the rabbitskln
gloves, while her master drew OH his
boots. n man. she continued, who
has insulted you lower than the ground,
and who would have beaten you but for
Antoine here!'
The cure paid no attention to her
grumbling, however, but got up when
he had finished his preparations and
started to go out.
Come, my boy, ycu will have to go
with me, said he. 'The clerk is too old
and too feeble; he couldn't go hum
dred yards in this snow. 1t is work
Of charity which heaven always remem-
bers.'
| Pardon me, NJ. le Cure cried Favel,
reproachfully, did you think I would
stay here if dozen clerks could go
While you we're exposed?'
Then farewell. Victolre, and don't
forget to send in the morning q bowl of
bullion and a bottle Of wine to the wife
Of Pierre jacques, and say q prayer my
girl, for the poor Dernetrius.' Saying
this, the cure opened the door and went
out into the cold and the snow. The
modest little church Of the eyillage stood
upon a knoll just above the cures
dwelling. Unlocking Che door they en-
tered the building. Antoine holding
the lantern, and took up the little vase
and the silver vessel containing the
holy Oil, which the old priest placed in
his velvet bag, carefully fastening it
about his neck. Antoine carried the
prayer book and the bell.
X X X y y x
It took two hours in ordinary times
to go from the church to Argues, but
in weather like this more than twice as
long It twas the week before Christi
mas, and the oldest Inhabitants, &C.
custoned as they were to the haydships
of life on the Alps, had never seen a
winter as terrible as this. Aygues was
a miserable hamlet Of three. or four
novels, lying in the bottom %fsa ravine
between two great mountains. To
reach it it was necessary to climb the
precipitous side Of the mountain, cross
over the top and descend by a narrow
Eath to the ravine below, at the bottom
Of which Teamed rushing torrent,
/ 1T vas one of those terrible nights
known only to the Alpine winter. a
| freezing cold enchained all nature.
Tue sky was of a leaden gray and a car
pet Of untrodden snow extended as far
as the eye could reach Profound
silence rested upon everything.
The Able Broex and his guide walked
on, scattering the snow with their long
pointed staffs, the lantern Of Antoine
throwing a few feeble rays of light
upon the ground before them. AS they
walked along the good priest MUIR
INJURED his prayers, while Antoine
thought only of his cows, his stable and
the wheat that filled his granary.
Neither the priest nor the peasant
seemed to feel fatigue as they moved
quickly on, their eyes fixed upon the
circle OF light cast by the lantern upon
| the snow.
Little by little, however, 81 white bead
stood upon their brows, their breathing
became hurried and they walked with
less rapidity. The lantern swung less
firmly in the hand Of Antoine: and from
time to time the old priest stopped a
moment to say aloud prayer.
They had now been climbing the
mountain for more than two hours, but
were still far from their journeys end;
nevertheless. they continued on. speak
ing but seldom, and then only to en-
courage each other.
M. }e Cure cried Antoine suddenly
4 have forgotten to bring my water
gourd.'
'And | NINE replied the Cure in a |
tone Of regret, What al imprudence!
Well we shall drink with better heart |
when we get to Aygues. But come,
Antoine, let us make haste; the wind is
rising
A wind. indeed, was blowing straight
from the east, and it soon became a
strong and furious hurricane. The
snow began to fall, and in less than
twenty minutes frightful tempest
ragged upon the mountain. The ira
velers found themselves plunged in
profound darkness, and to avoid fall
into the holes that surrounded them
were forced TO feel their way with the
points of their climbing poles. They
had long ago left the regular road to
follow a little by-path along the side Of
the mountain, as it was nearer route.
cutting off some seven or eight miles of
the perilous journey.
To the left OF them was fathomless
abyss; to the right a precipitous cliff,